Railway signaling apparatus.



No. 838,542. -PATBNTEDDEO.18, 1906-. A. J. HITCH.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 030. 1905.-

Witnesses: I flZZgfiJ Inventor,

' Attorneys nu: rvorems PETERS cm, WASHINGTON 0: c.

No. 838,542. PATENTED'DEU. 18, 1906.

A. J. HITCH.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS. I

APPLICATION FILED 1920. 4. 1905. 1 I

' 4 sng'lps-snm' 2v Witnesses: -1nventor,

Attorneys n1: NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, a c.

PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906.

J. HITCH. RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG-4. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

fllericfz/iick Inventor;

' Attorneys W W W Iuktsm Witnesses:

n4: rvonms PETERS ca y/Asumcmm n. c.

No. 838,542. BATENTED DEG. 18.190 6.

' A. J. HITCH.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 12110.4, 1905.

Witnesses": Inventor,

' Attorneys ms NORRIS PETER'S co wxsnmcwzv, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed December 4,1905. Serial No. 290,113.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. HITCH, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Ridgetown, county of Kent, in the Province ofOntario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway Signaling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relateslitoflrailway signaling apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide means for indicating at acentral 'point say a train-despatchers ofiicethe location of trainspassing over a line and for indicating the open and closed positions ofswitches at the train-despatchers oflice.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for indicating tothe driver of an engine the approach of another train, which latterindicating means are operable from the train-despatchers oflice; and myinvention consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts, as herein illustrated, described, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, I haveillustrated one form of embodiment of my invention, in which drawingssimilar reference 'characters designate corresponding'parts, and inwhich Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement ofelectrical circuits adapted to operate my invention. Fi 2 is a rearelevation, partly in section, a locomotive, showin the arrangement ofthe means adapte to indicate to an engine-driver the approach of atrain. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the rear portion of an engine,showing the application of the means adapted to indicate to theengine-driver the approach of the train. Fig. 4 is a front elevation ofan indicating apparatus, the front wall of the casing of which isremoved and the indicating members shown in one position. Fig. 5 is afront elevation of the indicating device, the indicating members beingshown in a position difierent to that of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a verticalsection through the indicating device shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 is alongitudinal section through a contacting device adapted to be operatedby the flanges of the Wheels of railway-trains.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a casing placed at a centralpointsay in the despatchers office-and provided with a plurality ofopenings 2. Disposed within the casing are a plurality of brackets 3.Disposed adjacent the brackets are a plurality of levers 4, pivoted tothe brackets, as at 5, Fig.-

levers 4 are rocked, so that the tablets 7 do not cover said openings.

Secured to the ends of the levers 4 are springs 10, adapted to normallyelevate the tablets 7 so as to cover the openings 2. Disposed beneaththe levers 4 are magnets 11, having their armatures 12 connected to thelevers and adapted to overcome the tension of the springs 10 and depressthe levers 4, so that the tablets 7 are withdrawn from over the openings2, so that the tablets 9 can be seen. The magnets 11 are placed inelectrical connection with a suitable source of electricity, as thebattery 13, suitable wires 14 being used for that purpose.

The wires 14 are led into casings 15, placed at various stations alongthe railway-line or at other suitable intervals. These casings 15, Fig.7, are supported upon suitable springs 16, which bear on plates 17, andthe casings and the plates are connected by bolts 18, the plates 17being secured to the ties. Disposed on the lower casings are uppercasings 19, and both casings 15 and 19 are provided with binding-posts20, adapted to receive the ends of the wires 14.

Disposed between the casings 15 and 19 are helical springs 21, held inplace by screwthreaded rods 22, the upper ends of which are adapted tothrust into the collars 23, formed on the under surface of the uppercasings 19, when the upper casings are depressed by the flanges of thewheels of a locomotive or car. The length of the casings 19 correspondsto the distance between the centers of the wheels of a locomotive or cartruck, so that as a train passes over the casing it will be depressed bysaid wheels. I

The casing 19 being depressed, the bindingposts 20 contact to close thecircuit through the wires 14, thereby energizing the magnet 11 in thatcircuit and attracting the armature 12, so that the corresponding tablet7 is withdrawn, and the tablet 9 opposite to that tablet may be viewedthrough the corresp 0nding opening 2.

The disposition of the stations A B C D, &c., on the casing 1 willcorrespond to the disposition of the casings 19, so that when a trainpasses over any particular casing 19 it will be indicated on thecorresponding indicator on the casing 1 and will indicate at thedespatchers oilice that a train is passing that particular station, thusobviating the necessity of a telegraph operator at a station where notrain orders are delivered.

The casing 1 is provided with a switch-indicator 2 1, of similarconstruction to the station-indicators already described, in connec tionwith the battery 13 by means of the wires 25, the tablet 9 in this casebeing provided with the word Open and the tablet 7 being provided withthe word Shut, so that the train-despatcher will be advised of theopening and closing of a switch. The circuit in this case is closed. bymeans of the contacts 25 Fig. 1. v

The sidings of the railway-line will be provided with indicators 26,similar in construction to the station-indicators, suitable Wires 27being in connection with the battery 13 and the circuit being closed bythe mechanism already described for the stations, the only differencebeing that the tablets 9 are provided with the word Clear and thetablets 7 with the words Not clear or similar words.

A switch 28 is placed on the casing 1, adapted to break the circuitformed by the wires 28 which wires are supported in any suitable wayadjacent the railway-tracks. The cab 31 of the locomotive is providedwith a bell 29 and a light 30. The engine 35 is further provided withhangers 32, adapted to make a connection with the wires 28 by means ofthe trolley-wheels 34, which trol ley-wheels are in electricalconnection with the bell and light by means of the wires 33. Thisconstruction may also be placed in a coach, where it may be seen orheard by the conductor of the train.

WVhen in the train-despatchers ol'lice it appears that two trains areapproaching each other, the switch 28 may be thrown to make the circuitthrough the wires 28, and by means of this electrical circuit the bell29 will be rung and the light 30 will be lighted, thus notifying theengineer and conductor that a train is approaching. The circuit formedby the wires 28 will be divided into sections, so that one section willbe independent of the other along the railway-line, so that in case ofaccident or breakage of one section it will not interfere with theoperation of the other circuits.

Disposed on the casing 1 adjacent the switch 28 in the circuit formed bythe wires 28 is a light 35. When the circuit is made by the switch 28,the light 35 will be lighted. In case of an accident in which the Wires28" are broken the circuit will not be completed by the switch 28, sothat the light 35 will not be lighted, thereby indicating to thedespatcher that there has been an accident and this circuit is .notcomplete.

The casing l is provided with the representation 36 of the trackcorresponding to the location of the stations A B, &c., and the switchesand sidings on the line of railroad.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a railway signaling apparatus, a casing provided with openingstherein, fixed indicators adapted to be viewed through the openings,movable indicators adapted to cover the openings, resilient meansadapted to normally maintain the movable indicators over the openingsand electrically-operated means formoving the movable indicators.

2. In a railway signaling apparatus, a casing provided with openingstherein, fixed indicators within the casing, movable indicators disposedwithin the casing, links connected to the movable indicators, leversconnected to the links, resilient means for maintaining the movableindicators in elevated position, and means operated by the passage of atrain and adapted to actuate the movable indicators to a lower position.

3. In a railway signaling apparatus, a casing, fixed indicators withinthe casing, movable indicators adapted to cover the lived indicators,levers connected with the movable indicators, brackets within thecasing, adapted to pivotally support the levers, springs adapted tonormally elevate the movable in dicators, means for overcoming thetension of the springs operated by the passage of a train, and means forlimiting the movement of the levers.

4. In a railway signaling apparatus, a casing, fixed indicators disposedwithin. the easing, movable indicators adapted to cover the fixedindicators, levers adapted to support the movable indicators, resilientmeans nor mally maintaining the movable indicators in one position,means operated by the passage of a train adapted to actuate the leversto another position, and brackets within the easing adapted to limit themovement of the levers.

5. In a railway signaling apparatus, a casing, indicating members in thecasing, resilient means for maintaining one of the indicators in oneposition,means for moving one of said indicators, electrical connectionsto said means, casings adapted to receive the ends of said electricalconnections, means for resiliently supporting the ends of the casings,and means for maintaining the ends of said connections out of contactwith each other.

6. In a railway signaling apparatus, indicating members, electricalmeans adapted to move some of said indicating members, wires forming acircuit to said electrical actuating means, a lower casing adapted toreceive the end'of one of said wlres, resilient means for supportingsaid casing, an upper casing disposed on the lower casing and adapted toreceive the other of said wires, and springs disposed between said upperand lower casings adapted to normally maintain the ends of said wiresapart.

7. In a railway signaling apparatus, indicating members, electricalmeans adapted to move some of said indicating members, wires forming acircuit to said electrical actuating means, a lower casing adapted toreceive the end of one of said wires, an upper casing disposed onthelower casing and adapted to receive the other of said wires,resilient means for supporting the lower casing, springs disposedbetween said up er and lower casing adapted to normally maintain theends of said wires apart, and a resilient support for said lower casing.

8. In a railway signaling apparatus, indicating means, electrical meansfor operating said indicating means, which electrical means are disposedin electrical circuits normally open, and means for maintaining the endsof said circuits apart comprising a lower casing provided withbinding-posts, springs disposed on the ends of said lower casing, platesadapted to receive the thrust of said springs, bolts connecting saidplates and said casing, an upper casing disposed on the lower casing,and provided with collars on its under surface, binding-posts carried bythe upper casing, screw-threaded rods carried by the lower casing, andhelical springs disposed on said screw-threaded rods.

9. In a railway signaling apparatus, the combination comprising a casinghaving the names of stations thereon, and having thereon therepresentation of the track on which the stations are situated, fixedindicating members adjacent the names of the stations, movableindicating members, and means adapted to be actuated by the passage of atrain for moving the movable indicating members to cover the fixedindicating members and to indicate on the casing the position of a trainon the tracks with relation to the station-names.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT J. HITCH.

Witnesses:

C. C. OoUsINs, EUGENE M. SLINEY.

